If you haven’t tried the air fryer pork belly yet, it is the best air fryer pork belly recipe to start with. You will be impressed with how easy and fast it is to make the pork belly in an air fryer. Your tastebuds will go crazy, guaranteed.
You may either love or hate the pork belly. Some love it for its extra fat that melts and becomes super crispy and delicious. Yet, others don’t appreciate the pork belly specifically for the amount of fat. I think that the correct cooking of this type of meat is the real secret to success. When the pork belly is cooked in an air fryer, it is very similar to cooking it on a grill. The fat melts and enriches the meat with tons of flavor while the skin becomes crispy crackling. If you love the crispy bacon, the pork belly will drive you crazy.
An air fryer is a must appliance in every kitchen. Everything you cook in an air fryer is simply delicious. Try these recipes and you will see how fast and easy cooking becomes:
Are bacon and pork belly the same thing?
Although you may compare the two, pork belly is like an upgraded version of the flavors and taste of the bacon. The air fryer pork belly is tendered and meatier. On one hand, you get the crispy skin, on the other, the juicy meat that practically melts into the mouth. It is like an explosion of contrasting textures. My cousin, when she first tried the pork belly, said she had a gastronomic orgasm. I think she best described the sensations one may have when trying the air fryer pork belly for the first time.
Should I marinate pork belly?
Yes, marinated meat is always a better decision. Marinate the pork belly with your favorite spices. I like the meat marinated with Italian herbs, granulated garlic, salt, and some drops of lemon juice. If you like intenser flavors, you may add some clove powder.
Marinate the pork belly for at least one hour at room temperature. The pork meat is much denser and it needs a bit more time to be tenderized and infused with flavors. It is best to marinate the meat overnight, in the fridge, in an airtight container.
However, if you are running out of time and you need the food prepared in a matter of minutes, cook the pork belly without marinating it first. Just season the meat with spices and proceed to cook it. It is delicious even so. For a crispier skin and surface overall, rub the pork belly slices with salt. Use a bit more than you think is enough. Do that if you plan to cook it immediately, not if you plan to marinate it overnight.
Should I preheat the air fryer?
Yes, preheated air fryer before placing the pork belly slices to cook. When you preheat the air fryer first, the air circulates around the appliance and the food will start cooking from the second one. The moisture is drawn out from the surface and that is how the food gets that irresistible crispy finish.
A total of 5 minutes of preheating is enough to air fry pork belly to perfection.
How to air fry pork belly slices?
Once the air fryer has preheated, remove the basket and place the pork belly slices inside it. Arrange them near to each other but don’t stack them. You should cook 3 pieces of pork belly at a time, that’s the regular capacity of an air fryer. Best air fryer pork belly is when the hot air reaches the entire surface of the meat slices.
Set the air fryer to cook at 375F for 15 minutes. As soon as the time expires, remove the slices of air-fryer pork belly which are beautifully golden and crispy delicious. Place them on a paper towel or directly on a plate because the fat has already melted during cooking and there will not be excess grease to worry about.
Serve the delicious air fryer pork belly slices with anything you like most, maybe a refreshing salad such as the Asian cucumber salad, radish and chickpea salad, or with some marinated tomatoes.
Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Slices
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly slices marinated optionally
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper flakes
Instructions
- Marinate the pork belly slices for 1 hour OR season with spices before cooking
- Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes
- Place the pork belly slices in the basket
- Insert into the air fryer and cook at 375F for 15 minutes
- If you like the pork belly crispier, cook for additional 3 minutes
- Remove from basked when the time expires and serve with pleasure
9 comments
Thank you made this lovely
wow, nice thank you.
Looks great, going to try it tonight
Hi Mike,
Thank you, hope that you have enjoyed it.
Every air fryer is different. I’m now consuming several strips of charcoal. I’ll cook it for less long on a lower temp next time (lucky I have 11 more strips to cook)
Don’t think 15 mins is long enough. I did mine for 18 mins and the pork was very tough. Took a lot of chewing.
Hello Barry,
I cooked them for 15 minutes as my pork belly slices were very thick. So, I have tried to avoid a veal pork slice meat, especially that my daughter is also eating this, which is why 15 minutes was just perfect.
Absolutely delicious… 😋
Thank you very much.